Dangerous dog laws ‘woefully inadequate’

Dangerous dog law proposals have been branded “woefully inadequate” by the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee.

A report from the body released today (February 15th) claims that current regulations have “comprehensively failed” to tackle the issue of irresponsible ownership.

It called for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) to be given a more influential position in informing policy and suggested introducing a new bill, which would bring together the currently “fragmented” legislation on the issue of dog control and welfare.

“Irresponsible dog breeding and the failure to socialise puppies in the first few months of life can lead to persistent problems which are hard to tackle later on,” warned the Committee.

The body added that Defra’s latest consultation on the issue had “failed to reflect” growing public concern and recommended collaboration with the Law Commission ahead of consolidating legislation in this area.

Figures provided by the Communication Workers Union (CWU) claimed 6,000 of its postal worker members had been attacked by dogs in the course of their jobs.

The CWU went on to call the 1991 Dangerous Dogs Act “totally ineffective” and general secretary Billy Hayes welcomed the report’s findings.

“This is a far more comprehensive and satisfying response to the problems of dangerous dogs and the limitations of current laws. We hope that Westminster will act on the excellent recommendations in the report,” he said.